We were about to instruct a conveyancing solicitor in Colindale recommended on your site but stumbled across some other estimates on the internet look less pricey – how come?

You can find many firms of conveyancers advertising at first sight what seems to be cut price. We suggest that you think twice as to how much you respect your own move to want to take 'cheap' risks over the quality of the conveyancing. Many of them list a bargain fee to tempt you but plant additional charges in the small print..

I am thinking of remortgaging my home in Colindale, does my lawyer need to be on the Nationwide Solicitor panel?

In theory, you could use a solicitor that is not on the Nationwide conveyancing panel, but Nationwide would require one of their panel solicitors to be instructed to act in their interests, and you'd have to pay for this - so most people instruct a panel solicitor. It's also easier, as otherwise you'd have to deal with two solicitors for the same conveyancing matter.

I am being advised by my solicitor that flying freehold insurance is necessary on my purchase. What is the typical level of cover needed for conveyancing in Colindale?

The right level of flying freehold indemnity insurance should be dictated by who who your lender is. It would differ for example between Nationwide Building Society and Bank of Scotland. Conveyancing practitioners as opposed to borrowers take out such policies.

I have today made my last payment due on my mortgage with Bank of Ireland. I assume I don't need a Colindale conveyancing practitioner on the Bank of Ireland panel to discharge the mortgage at the Land Registry. Am I right?

If you have finished paying off your Bank of Ireland mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Bank of Ireland mortgage from the register. Bank of Ireland, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:

1. but are not moving to another property
2. where Bank of Ireland has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
3. Bank of Ireland has instructed the Land Registry to do so

I am due to exchange contracts on my house. I had a double glazing fitted in January 2010, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's mortgage company, Co-operative are being a right pain. The Colindale solicitor who is on the Co-operative conveyancing panel is happy to accept ‘lack of building regulation’ insurance but Co-operative are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do Co-operative have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Co-operative have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Co-operative may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

How does conveyancing in Colindale differ for newly converted properties?

Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Colindale come to us having been asked by the developer to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the premises is ready to move into. This is because house builders in Colindale typically purchase the real estate, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Colindale or who has acted in the same development.

I've recently bought a leasehold property in Colindale. Am I liable to pay service charges for periods before completion of my purchase?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

I have tried to negotiate informally with with my landlord to extend my lease without success. Can I apply to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal? Can you recommend a Colindale conveyancing firm to assist?

Where there is a absentee freeholder or where there is dispute about the premium for a lease extension, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 it is possible to make an application to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal to assess the amount due.

An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a Colindale residence is 27B Hillside in February 2010. the resulting premium, all other aspects of the valuation having been agreed between the parties was set at £8,250 This case was in relation to 1 flat. The number of years remaining on the existing lease(s) was 70.25 years.